Drugs bust after 999 call blunder

A man with an £18,000 cannabis farm in his front room was arrested after accidentally dialling 999 from the house.

The 42-year-old suspect somehow rang the emergency number from a landline at the property in Hawewater Avenue, Crewe, Cheshire, at around 2pm yesterday.

The call was logged as an abandoned emergency call - and police officers were dispatched to check on the welfare of the caller.

But when they knocked on the door and went inside they found 18 mature cannabis plants being grown in the front room - each with an estimated street value of £1,000.

After the unusual drugs bust, Crewe Police tweeted: "Epic fail of the day goes to the man in Crewe who rang 999 by accident. We arrived to check he was safe... and found his cannabis farm!"

Local beat manager Pc Shelley Woods, of Cheshire Police, said: "The circumstances around this call being made beggars belief. We don't often find people in this position as accommodating to police inquiries."

A spokesman for the Cheshire force said: "Shortly before 2pm yesterday police received an abandoned emergency call originating from the Crewe area.

"As a result, local officers attended an address on Haweswater Avenue to carry out a concern for welfare check on the caller.

"On arrival, it emerged that the occupant of the property had dialled in error; however, a large number of suspected cannabis plants were discovered in the front room of the house.

"A 42-year-old local man has been arrested in connection with the discovery."